Rail-joint.



No. 855,914. PATENTED JUNE 4, 1907.

' s. G. WEIR.

' RAIL JOINT.

APPLICATION nun 8EPT.4.1906.

SAMUEL G. WEIR, OF ECONOMY, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAIL-JOINT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 4, 1907.

Application filed September 4, 1906. Serial 333,250-

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, SAMUEL G. WVEIR, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Economy, in the county of Beaver and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inRail-Joints, of which the 'following is a specification, reference beinghad therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in railjoints, and the invention has for its object the provision of novelmeans for connecting the confronting ends of two rails, without the useof bolts and nuts.

Another object of this invention is to provide a rail joint which can beeasily and quickly placed in engagement with two rails, to prevent theirdisplacement from ordinary use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple and inexpensiverail connection requiring no skill whatever to install.

\Vith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in thenovel construction and arrangement of parts to be presently describedand then specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawing forming part of this specification, likenumerals of reference designate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of my im provedjoint. Fig. 2 is a similar view of a chair constituting the main featureof my invention, and, Fig. 3 is a plan of the chair illustrating themanner in which the chair is placed in engagement with the rails.

To put my invention into practice, I provide the rails 1 and 2 to bejoined with beveled confronting ends. To retain the ends together, Iemploy a chair consisting of an oblong plate 4 of suflicient length tobe supported by two ties or sleepers. The plate 4 upon one side edge, atthe end thereof, and on the opposite side edge, at the opposite end, isprovided with right angular exten sions 5 having spike openings 6 formedtherein, whereby the plate 4 can be secured to ties or sleepers.

The plate 4 at its side edges is provided with integral clamp plates 7adapted to overlie the base flanges 8 of the rails 1 and 2, one of saidclamp plates engaging one rail, while the other clamp plate engages theother rail.

To place the plate 4 in engagement with the rails l and 2, it isnecessary that the ends 3 of the rails be placedtogether, and the plate4 placed under the rails at an angle thereto, the near corners of theclamp plates 7 engaging the base flanges 8 of the rails. The plate 4 isthen swung around until the clamp plates 7 engage the base flanges 8, atwhich time the plate 4 can be spiked to the tieslor sleepers.

The manner in which the plate 4 is placed in engagement with the rails 1and 2 is important owing to the fact that the clamp plates 7 are nearlyopposite one another. The clamp plates 7 prevent the lateraldisplacement of the rails, but allow for the expansion and contractionof said rails. It is obvious that vertical displacement is prevented bythe spikes 9 and the clamp plates 7 The beveled form of the abuttingends 3 of the rails is an important feature of the invention, as therails are thereby eflectually pre' vented from lateral displacement,thus relieving the spikes 9 from a large amount of the lateral strain.

My improved chair is constructed of strong and durable metal.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire toobtain by Letters Patent, is,

A rail joint consisting of a tie plate corresponding in width throughoutwith the tie flanges of the rails and extending over two ties and withlaterally extending lugs provided with spike apertures at its diagonallyopposite corners and with rail clamp plates extending from its oppositeedges and at opposite sides of the center of the plate and likewiseopposite said apertured lugs,the inner ends of the clamp plates beingspaced apart, in combination with rails bearing upon the tie plate andwith their abutting ends beveled opposite the space between the clampplates.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

SAMUEL G. WEIR.

Witnesses:

FRED S. Soorr, OEARLEY A. MURRAY.

